Ministry of Defence Logo Defence Staff logo
Mapa del mundo

The ‘VILKAS’ BAP-65 aerotactic detachment hands over to the Italian Air Force

En Šiauliai, Lituania
July 30, 2024
  • The Spanish command of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission in Lithuania taken over last 1st April has come to an end

The new helicopter hangar at Šiauliai Air Force Base has been the setting for the symbolic handover of the ‘key to Baltic airspace’ from the Spanish ‘Vilkas’ Air Tactical Detachment (DAT in Spanish) to the Italian Air Force, which will be in charge of the mission for the next eight months.

The ceremony, chaired by the Lithuanian Vice-Minister of National Defence, Kamilè Gogelienè, was attended, among other civilian and military authorities, by the Commander of the CAOC Uedem, Major General Harold Van Pee, the Italian Ambassador to Lithuania, Emanuele De Maigret, on behalf of the Spanish Embassy in Lithuania, Ramón Aguilar Abad, and the Lithuanian Air Force Commander.

The Lithuanian vice-minister stressed the importance of the Atlantic Alliance's air surveillance missions initiated 20 years ago. It is one of the strongest commitments demonstrating the degree of NATO's loyalty to the goal of ensuring safety and security of the airspace. General Van Pee also highlighted the relevant role of the Baltic Air Policing mission in today's international context.

The DAT ‘Vilkas’ is an example of Spain's commitment to NATO's Baltic Air Policing Mission (BAP), in which nearly 400 airmen have already participated in the various rotations and support missions.

During its mission, the Spanish detachment, rotation No. 65 of the BAP, has exceeded 1,000 flying hours between the eight F18Ms of the 12th and 15th Wings, and the two monthly A400M support flights of the 31st Wing in Zaragoza.

On the one hand, this effort has concentrated on Air Policing missions, having carried out around thirty ‘Alfa Scramble’ missions to identify aircrafts that did not comply with international flight regulations in the Atlantic Alliance's security area of responsibility. On the other hand, the effort has allowed it to take part in different exercises such as RAAL 24-1 and 24-2, NEPTUNE TRIDENT, VIGILANT FALCON, SPRING STORM, BALTCON, where a high degree of interoperability has been achieved with aircrafts from other allied countries, including Swedish and Finnish aircrafts after their incorporation into NATO, as well as of interoperability with other ground-to-air defence systems and fleets deployed in the Baltic Sea.

A major milestone was the certification of the first ever air-to-air refuelling between Navy Harriers and a Spanish A400M.

Fotos